Marylanders already have faced penalties for violating Gov. Larry Hogan’s ban on gatherings and could face stiff consequences for flouting the stay-at-home order that went into effect Monday night.
“A lot of it is just to ensure compliance. You have to have some kind of penalty to associate it with an order,” Mr. Hogan said Tuesday on CNN’s “New Day” of the $5,000 fine or one-year jail sentence that could come with violating his order.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday also issued stay-at-home orders. The region’s COVID-19 cases on Tuesday climbed over 3,400, with 495 in the District, 1,250 in Virginia and 1,660 in Maryland, and a total of 54 deaths.
The District has 121 cases in recovery and Maryland 43; the Virginia Department of Health is not sharing recovery information.
The stay-at-home orders direct residents to leave home only to get food or supplies, do essential work and travel, and participate in activities like hiking, going on a walk or run while still following social distancing guidelines.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation projected that Maryland will reach its peak number of deaths per day from COVID-19 in 30 days, Virginia in 54 days for and the District in 15 days.
Maryland law enforcement has conduct about 5,000 compliance checks and two people have been arrested for violating the ban on mass gatherings, Mr. Hogan said Tuesday.
Ryan M. Serra, 26, violated the governor’s ban on large gatherings by hosting a party with alcohol for 10 teenagers in a Carroll County hotel room on Sunday night.
Mr. Serra was served with a criminal summons the next day and all of the teenagers, all between the ages of 15 and 17, were released to their parents without criminal charges.
Charles County Police charged Shawn Myers, 41, for hosting a bonfire for about 60 people last Friday and refusing to comply with the governor’s orders. Mr. Myers had already been visited by police for hosting a gathering of more than 10 people, and he told police that he would comply.
Ms. Bowser and Mr. Northam expressed hesitancy in penalizing people for violating the stay-at-home order.
“The point is not to arrest anybody the point is for people to stay at home,” Ms. Bowser said Tuesday.
In order to enforce the stay-at-home order, Ms. Bowser said police officers are playing a scripted recording on their loudspeaker telling people to disperse and go home and school resource officers have been redirected to patrol parks and public spaces.
Jay Melder, the District’s assistant city administrator, said 70% of the city’s stockpile of personal protective equipment will be delivered to local health care providers, long term care facilities and home health aid providers.
Mr. Melder said the District will continue to source supplies through local procurements.
Ms. Bowser said she will request to extend the public health emergency which was originally slated to last until April 25.
Meanwhile, a number of community members from the Loudoun County Public School (LCPS) have tested positive for COVID-19.
According to an email Monday night from the schools Superintendent Eric Williams, a central administration staffer tested positive for the coronavirus and was last in the building on March 18, began exhibiting symptoms the next day and is self-isolating at home.
Also in Monday’s email, Mr. Williams said a fourth staff member at Waxpool Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19, was last at the school on March 11 and started exhibiting symptoms a few days later.
“Since Waxpool Elementary School has been closed for longer than the 14-day period in which virus symptoms could be expected to occur from exposure while the school was open, LCPS does not plan to make any additional notifications about other Waxpool Elementary School staff members who may report positive test results,” Mr. Williams said in the email.
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